Wagon body



Jan. 30, 1923.

. GOSS ET AL.

WAGON BODY.

FILED JULY 26. 1920.

[lli

Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

UNITED STATI-:s

1,443,468 PATENToFFlcE.

GEORGE W. GOSS AND CHARLES E. GOSS, 0F BALTIMORE, OHIO.

WAGON BODY.

Application filed July 26,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lrnown that we, GEORGE W. Goss and CHARLES E. Goss, ycitizens ofthe United States, residing at Baltimore, in the county of Fairfield andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWagon Bodies, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wagon bodies, and has for itsprimary obj ect to provide a wagon body wherein animproved sidestructure is provided, said structure having a pivotal mounting, wherebythe same may be adjusted relatively to the base of the body in orderthat the latter be best adapted to the needs of the particularcommodities carried or transported therein.

Another object of the invention resides in the side structure for wagonbodies which is formed to comprise a plurality ofsections,

' said sections being of a separable nature in order that by the removalor the addition of the sections,` the height of the side structure maybe correspondingly regulated.

ith these and other objects infview, as will appearasthe descriptionproceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features ofconstruction, combinations of elements, and arrangements o-f parts,hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the claim hereuntoappended.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification., andin which similar characters of reference denote like and correspondingparts: y

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofthe improved wagon body comprising theypresent invention, and illustrating more particularly the constructionof the side structure.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the body. Figure 3 is a verticaltransverse sectional view taken on the plane disclosed by the line 3-3of lFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a detailed transverse sectional viewshowing the sidestructure in its lowered position. y l

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view' disclosing aslightly modified form of side structure. v

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective-Y yiew disclosing a slightlymodiiied form ofl the invention, and,l v

Figure 7 is an elevation of the bolt einployed in the modificationdisclosed iny igure 6. y

Referring more particularly to the draw?? 1920. Serial N0. 399,046.

tudinally extending sills 1, upon which are mounted s aced transverselyextending cross beams 2, t e sills 1 and the beams 2 being r preferablyformed from relatively heavy timbers. The bottom 3 of the body iscomposed of spaced longitudinally extending boards which are suitablyunited to the upper surfaces of the beams 2, said bottom being, however,relatively narrower than the beams 2, in order that the outer ends ofthe latter will project beyond the side edges of the bottom.

The side structure of the body consists, in this instance, of a pair ofupper and lower sections l and 5, which are adapted when in verticalpositions to rest upon the side margins of the bottom 3 and to becarried in connection with the outer end of the beams 2. To this end,the lower sections are provided at longitudinally spacedintervals withvertically extending bars 6, which have their lower portions providedwith elongated slots 7. These slots are so disposed as to be capable ofreceiving the shank ends of a plurality of bolts or their equivalents 8,which pass transversely through and are mounted within theouter ends ofthe beams 2. The threaded ends of said bolts are provided with handactuated nuts 9, which may be suitably rotated so that the bars 6 willbe frictionally connected in side by side relationship with the'crossbeams. It will be observed that when the bars are so connected, thesections 5 will occupy vertical positions and therefore, by reason ofthepivotal mounting 8, the lower edges of said sections 5 will rest uponand will be supported by the outer edges ofthe bottom 3.

To prevent undue swinging movement on the part of said sections, thelower portions of the beams 2 are provided with fixed blocks 10, whichconstitute stops and are so disposed as` to engage with the lowerportions of the bars 6 so that normally outwardly swinging movement onthe part of the sections 5 will be prevented by the engagement of thebars with said blocks. To prevent undue vertical or upward movement ofthe sections 5, certain of the bars 6 thereof. are provided withlswinging latches 11, which latter are provided with notched ends 12.These ends are adapted to engage 4with the fen'ds of the bolts 8` andare maintained in lower such engagement by reason of the hand nuts 9.Therefore, it will be manifest that while the latches 11 are so engagedwith the bolts 8, vertical upward movement of thesections 5 will beeffectively arrested. However. in

order to lower the sections 5 so that lthe same will lie on an evenplane withy the bottom 3, the latches 11 are disconnected, andthe nuts 9are loosened so as to release theengagement between the bars 6 and thecross beams 2. lVhen this is done, the sections 5 may be elevatedaslight distancevso as to permit the lower ends of the bars 6 to clearthe blocks 10, whereupon the sections may be swung outwardly, pivotingabout the bolts 8.. This downward swinginfrmovement on the part of thesections 5 .is limited by the contacting 'of the normally lower ends ofthe bars 6 with the under side ofthe bottom 3, as shown in Figure 4, andwhen the swinging movement of the sections 5 has `been arrested, thesame will move laterally so that their edges will engage with the sideedges ofthe bottom 2l. By again tightening the nuts 9, undue `lateralmovement of the lowered sides willbe prevented. By, reason of theengagement of the free ends ofthe bars 6 with the under side of thebottom 3, the sides will be firmly supported `when in `their loweredpositions and will .becapableg of receiving and carrying commodities. Itwill be evident that by virtue of `,the adjustment described, the wagonbody may be readily and quickly adapted to the needs and physicalcharacterstics ofthe various commodities to be transported by the body.

`Of course, the invention not limited in its scope'to the' particularform of bar construction described, since other equivalent means may beprovided for carrying out the functions assigned tothe bars 6. For eX-ample, as shown inFigure 5, the sections 5 arev equipped with metallicangle bars 13, which perform exactly the same oillices as the woodenbars 6. The angle bars 13, it will be noted, permitofthe `elimination ofthe slot- 7, since the bars liinay be substantially and firm y bound inlateral connection with the ends ofthe cross beams 2 by simply engagingwith the circumferential edge of the nuts,` 9.. with the exception ofthe slot 7, lthelbars 13 are the eXact equivalents of the ars 6.

4order to more readily control the height'of the side structure, use ismade of the separable upper sections 4, which sections are' adapted tobe connected with the p t sections by providing the bars 6 with plates,14,Mwhich extend parallel with the upperiedges of thesections 5. Theseplates in.y coml )ina`tion`` with `the upper ends of said bars provi esockets,` inA which the lower ends fof bars 15, formed with the uppersectinspe" adapted to be removably received;l

This construction enables the upper sections' to be readily connected ordisconnected vwith the lower sections, a feature which materiallyincreases the .adaptability of the body in meeting special requirements.I

`The front of the body includes a pair of transversely extending boa-rdsor their :equivalents 16, which are united by means of metallic strips17, the latter having their lower ends fastened as at 18', removably oi'not, with the forward cross beam 2. These strips are equipped 'withpivotcd bolts 19. which are capable of being swung into or out of t-henotched Aends provided upon the forward plates 1,4, and the ends ofsaidbolts are equipped with hand nuts 20, whereby upon the tightening ofsaid nuts, the side and front structures may be securely con nectedtogether. Also, the forward bars l5 of the upper sectionsv 4 areprovided with notched plates 21, which are adapted' to receive pivotedbolts 22 also carried by the front structure, these boltsl act after themanner of the bolts 19 to effect a firm and rigid connection betweenthefront structure and the upper sections 4. Any vsuitable form of a reargate structure may be 'provided at the rear end of the body A, and sucha structure has been designatedgenerally by the numeral 23. However, thegate structure disclosed in our co-pe'nding application, Serial Number399,047, filing date July 26, 1920, may be particularly used in anefficient manner in connection with the body forming the subjectmatterof this invention. The plates provided upon ,the rear ends of the bars 6and 15 are notched so as to receivepivoted bolts provided upon y therear gate structure 23, said bolts being f adapted to receive suitabletypes of binding nuts, whereby said rear gate structure may be rigidlyand removably connected with l the side sections 4 and 5. v ,t y y Whencertain classes of commoditiesiare being carried `by `the wagon body,thesclev sections may be removed altogether, and in their place sideposts or pickets24 may be utilized. When the pickets 24 are employed,bolts 8 are utilized in lieu of the bolts 8. The bolts 8', as shown inFigure 7 are pro- 115 vided with hook shaped ends 25 whichcooperate withthe ends ofthe cross beams 2 to provide sockets in` which thelowervreduced ends 26 of the ypickets 24 are seated, "said ends- 26beingv yprovided wpreferably.,.with 120 notches 2( which receive theshankfends of, the bolts S. This arrangement provides an effectivestructure for securely yet' renio`v`` ably holding thepickets 24 inassembled relationship with the body A. f t y'125 In view of .the,foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, it 'will be apparent that the pres#` ent invention provides awa on body which may be admirably employe for transport; 13o

ing grain, hay, boxes, barrels and many other widely differentcommodities, and particularly, the body isyused in connection withr farmhauling, wherein commodities of Widely different physicalcharacteristics are continually being handled. By virtue of the sidestructure, a wide scope of utility of the body is to be obtained, sinceby lthe pro vision of this structure, the'body may be readily convertedinto the different forms above noted. It will be observed that the boltsare so arranged that the same are not subject to any considerable amountof stress. said bolts normally serving merely to hold contiguous part-sin assembled relationship. It will be noted that the ends of the bars 6project outwardly a suicient distance to support lthe side sections 5when the latter are in their lowered positions, and thus relieve thebars 6 substantially of this function, a feature which materiallycontributes in providing a strong and substantial construction.

What is claimed is:

In a wagon body, a bottom, cross members arranged beneath and havingtheir outer ends terminated so as to project beyond the side edges ofsaid bottom, a side section capable of assuming vertical or horizontalpositions with respect to said bottom, bars rigidly secured to said sidesection and having the lower ends thereof terminated to engage with theside walls of the projecting ends of said cross members, the said barsbeing provided with elongated slots, stop blocks Xed to the ends of saidcross membersand arranged beneath the latter to engage with the extremelower ends of said bars, securing devices carried by the projecting endsof said cross members and arranged to project through the slots in saidbars, and pivoted latch devices carried by said bars and arranged toengage with said securing devices to retain said side section againstupward movement with respect to said bottom, the relative arrangement ofsaid slots and securing devices being such as to permit the full weightof said side section when in its elevated and loweredposition to restrespectively upon said bottom and the projecting ends of said crossmembers.

In testimony whereof we aHiX our signatures.

GEORGE W. GOSS. CHARLES E. GOSS.

